1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a self adjusting toilet bolt assembly for connecting a toilet bowl to a closet flange and, more particularly to such an assembly wherein a tightening stud or bolt assembly component can adjust downwardly in length when the assembly is tightened. Beneficially, the proposed invention allows unencumbered placement of a covering cap over the connecting hardware extending above the top surface of the toilet bowl base and eliminates the need to cut a bolt member.
2. Description of the Related Art
In the past, the most commonly used closet bolt employed for connecting a toilet bowl to a closet flange was a fixed length component having a diameter of either ¼″ or 5/16″. The closet bolt was conveniently made longer than necessary to accommodate floor, flange and toilet height variation during installation. For that reason and following connection, it was necessary to cut off an excess top length portion of the threaded stud or bolt or rod member extending above the tightened hold down nut so that the connection hardware could be hidden with an attractive covering cap. If the excess top length portion was not removed, the cap piece could not be seated properly in hardware concealment position. Additionally, it was also recognized that an uncovered hardware assembly provided a debris gathering area in the bathroom and that the covering cap enabled easy cleaning for a beneficial health benefit.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,254,141 to Piper, the entire contents of which are herein incorporated herein by reference, discloses an adjustable length closet fastener in which a length adjustment bolt can be adjusted downwardly by rotating it in a length adjustment sleeve, which length adjustment sleeve passes through an arcuate flange slot in a mounting ring part of the closet flange. The width of the arcuate flange slot is essentially of a standard diameter being fractionally or slightly wider than 5/16″. A shortcoming of the patented Piper fastener is that it cannot be used with a 5/16″ bolt since an internally threaded sleeve receptive of a 5/16″ bolt must include an outer member mandating an outer dimension in excess of 5/16″, such excess providing that the internally threaded sleeve cannot fit into the standard arcuate flange slot. Accordingly, the patented fastener is useable only with a ¼″ bolt.
It is therefore desirable that a self adjusting toilet bolt assembly useable with both ¼″ and 5/16″ diameter threaded studs or bolts be provided.
It is additionally recognized, that conventional use of steel assembly members promotes rust development in the moist bathroom environment and that brass and stainless steal bolts have been used as substitutes to overcome this corrosion detriment. Unfortunately, this use of stainless steal contrasts with the need to adjust the bolt length by cutting to fit each installation. Thus, since stainless steal bolts are much harder and are impossible or highly difficult to cut with a conventional hand-held metal saw brass bolts may be readily cut with a conventional hand-held metal saw and have become the standard material in use. Ultimately, while the strength and corrosion resistance of stainless steal makes it a more desirable metal, the use of brass has been widely adopted because of the need to cut bolts to length after installation due to the non-adjustability of the standard assembly configuration.